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Action (1964)

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This recording, whose music has been reissued as part of a Mosaic Jackie McLean box set, has several selections that are quite fascinating. McLean (along with trumpeter Charles Tolliver, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, bassist Cecil McBee, and drummer Billy Higgins) plays free hard bop on "Action" (which does not have a specific set of chord changes to follow), a pair of Tolliver compositions ("Plight" being the most well known) and even the standard "I Hear a Rhapsody" (McLean's feature). Only the bluesy "Hootnan" is a bit more conventional, although the solos are far from predictable. This album is full of exciting music that has long been overshadowed. ~ Scott Yanow